Door latch



July 20, 1937 c. WRAAE 2,087,829

DOOR LATCH Filed March 31, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l (NVENTOR July 20, 1937 c, wRAAE 2,087,829

DOOR LATCH Filed March 51, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented July 26, 1937 units st -as My invention relates to improvements in latches for doors or the like. i t

The principal object of my inventionis to provide an efficient latch in which the usual rotary door knob is eliminated, and a simpler form of latch operating medium substituted therefor. said latch operating medium being housed against damage and accidental operation.

Another object is to provide a door latch of the above character which is easily operated from either side of the door, is strong and durable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects together with the advantages of the invention will be readily understood when the following description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation showing a preferred form of my novel latch attached to a door.

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation looking at the inside of the door.

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section. taken on the line 33 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 44 of Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a View in vertical transverse section taken on the line 55 of Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 6 is a view in front elevation of a modified form of the latch.

Figure 7 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 11 of Figure 6 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

Figure 8 is a view in front elevation illustrating the form of the invention shown in Figures 6 and '7 applied to a cupboard or steel door.

Figure 9 is a view in horizontal section of a further modification of my invention.

Describing my invention in detail with reference to the drawings, the preferred form thereof comprises a latching bolt I slidably mounted for horizontal movement into and out of the usual form of lock casing 2 which is mortised into the front edge of the door 3 in the usual manner and secured therein as by screws 4. The latching bolt i is slidably mounted in the casing 2 by means of guide lugs 5 on the casing 2 and is normally urged outwardly by a coil spring 6 having one end disposed in an aperture 1 provided in the rear end of the bolt i the other end of said spring being supported upon a stud 8 projecting from the rear wall of said casing 2.

as by screws ID. The plate 9 is provided opposite thebolt I with a centrally disposed elongated slot II extending lengthwise of said bolt and the inner face of the door and inner wall of the easing 2 are similarlyslotted as at E2 and i3 respectively'. A. finger gripped member in the form of a stud i 4 projects from the bolt I through said slots whereby said bolt may be retracted to unlatching position from the inside of the door 3. The bolt I may be locked against such retraction by means of a catch member l5 pivoted as at i5 at a, suitable point upon the plate 9 and having cam ends I! adapted to be engaged With the bolt I and finger pieces I8 for manipulating the same.

Upon the opposite side of the door is a combined handle and pull member [9 in the form of a metallic rectangular housing open at one side for the insertion of the hand therein and suitably secured to the door 3 as by screws 2|]. Pivoted within the handle I9 as at 2| is a, bolt retracting bell crank lever 22. One end of the bolt retracting lever 22 extends through a slot 23 in the door 3 and a similar slot 24 in the casing 2 and is bifurcated as shown in Figure 5 to straddle bolt l and engage stop pins 25 on the latter, the arrangement being such that when the other arm of said lever is manually manipulated from within the handle 19 the bolt I will be retracted against the action of the spring 6. Under normal conditions the bifurcated end of the bolt operating lever abuts one side of the slots 23 and 24 under the urge of the spring 6 and through engagement with the stop pins 25 whereby the bolt 1 is limited in its outward movement. Stop pins 26 on the bolt 1 engaging the front wall of the casing 2 prevent the bolt I from being ejected from the casing 2 prior to assembly of the parts.

The modification shown in Figures 6 and '7 is for use upon storm or screen doors, the frames of which are too narrow for a mortised look. In this form of the latch the casing 2! is secured to the inside face of the door 28 as by screws 23. The bolt 30 in this instance is slidably mounted in the front wall of the casing 21 and in a bracket 3! suitably secured in said casing. A right angular guard 32 is suitably secured to the door 28 within the handle [9' to prevent injury to the fingers in manipulating the bolt retracting lever 33. a

In the modification shown in Figure 8 wherein is illustrated the application of my latch to a steel door the finger gripped member I4 is eliminated.

Figure 9 illustrates a further modification in which the latch casing 34 of Figures 6 and 7 is mortised into a door and the handle guard and bolt retracting lever duplicated upon opposite sides of the door as shown at 35, 36 and 31, respectively.

Although I have described in the foregoing a preferred form of my invention and certain modifications thereof only, it is to be understood that right is herein reserved to other modifications and changes falling within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. A door latch comprising a latch casing mortised in said door and having a slot in one side thereof, a latch bolt slidably mounted in said casing for projection and retraction and tensioned against retraction, opposed pins on said bolt, a'

handle secured to one side of the door and comprising a housing open at one end and closed at the other, a latch retracting bell crank lever pivoted in said housing for horizontal swinging movement and housed by said handle, said lever having a bifurcated end projecting into said casing through said slot and straddling said bolt for engagement with said pins, said pins normally bearing against the bifurcated end of the lever whereby the latter is urged against one side wall of said slot and the normal positions of the bolt and lever established, a bolt operating member fixed to said bolt and projecting through the opposite side of the door, and means pivotally carried by the'door in a position for engagement with said bolt operating member to hold the bolt against retraction.

, 2. A door latch comprising a latch casing mortised in said door and having a slot in one side thereof, a latch bolt slidably mounted in said casing for projection and retraction and tensioned against retraction, opposed pins on said bolt, a handle secured to one side of the door and comprising a housing open at one end and closed at the other, a latch retracting bell crank lever pivoted in said housing for horizontal swinging movement and housed by said handle, said lever having a bifurcated end projecting into said casing through said slot and straddling said bolt for engagement with said pins, said pins normally bearing against the bifurcated end of the lever whereby the latter is urged against one side wall of said slot and the normal positions of the bolt and lever established, and means on the other side of the door to dog the bolt against retraction.

CARL WRAAE. 

